Bahoneza – Kinyarwanda, Rwanda Welfare, Social Welfare, Rwanda People, Nutrition and Diet, Rwanda Habitat, Living in Kigali

Kutarya indyo yuzuye ngo ntibiterwa n’ubukene ahubwo ngo biterwa n’ubujiji bukizitiye bamwe mu baturage nk’uko Mukaneza Cecile wo mu murenge wa Gahini mu karere ka Kayonza abivuga. Hari abantu bitwaza ubukene bakicisha abana ba bo indwara ya Bwaki kandi bafite ubushobozi bwo gutegura ifunguro riciriritse rifite intungamubiri zose nk’uko akomeza abivuga.

Na we ubwe ngo ntiyari asobanukiwe n’ibijyanye n’indyo yuzuye. Mbere atarahugurwa n’abajyanama b’ubuzima ku bijyanye no gutegura indyo yuzuye, ngo yumvaga gutegura ifunguro rifite intungamubiri ari iby’abakire gusa.

Agira inama ababyeyi yo gukora akarima k’igikoni kandi bakagahingaho ubwoko bwinshi bw’imboga, kuko zifite intungamubiri nyinshi. Agira ati “Batubwiye ko intungamubiri ziri mu nyama ziboneka no muri Soya. Byumvikane ko uwariye inyama n’uwariye soya baba babonye intungamubiri zimwe kandi kubona soya ntibigoye cyane”

Mu karere ka Kayonza hagaragara abana bafite ibibazo by’imirire mibi. Abo ibyo bibazo bigaragaraho bavuga ko biterwa n’uko imiryango ya bo ikennye itabasha kubona amafunguro arimo intungamubiri.

Umuyobozi w’ikigo nderabuzima cya Mukarange, Chantal Mukanyirigira, asaba abajyanama b’ubuzima gukomeza gukora ubukangurambaga ku babyeyi mu ngo, cyane cyane babashishikariza kugira uturima tw’igikoni mu ngo za bo kuko biri mu byafasha guhangana n’indwara ziterwa n’imirire mibi.

Rugera sector is one of the 12 sectors that make Nyabihu district in the western province and residents of this sector were given cows by HPI (Heifers Program International) and those cows reproduced and these 32 cows were given to the poor on the 3^rd.Aug.2012.

The 32 cows were given to selected women in vulnerable families in this sector so as to get them out of poverty and to improve the social welfare of their families and to boost their farming through getting manure daily.

Elise Uwonkunda’s family that resides in Kirehe village was given a cow to rear and with much excited with her family members, they are sure that this cow will improve their social welfare and give them manure to boost their farming and give them means to fight poverty.

People who were given cows said it is very important to take their gratitude to the person who initiated Girinka program and HPI project for giving them a chance to own cows and saving their families from malnutrition and poverty. They promised to take good care of these cows and to give to those without once they reproduce.

Angela Mukaminani the vice mayor for finance and economic development in Nyabihu district thanked HPI for giving cows to people which is an objective of Rwanda government to support residents in fighting against poverty. He asked them to protect those cows and to think of their neighbors when they reproduce so as to break the cycle of poverty with the cycle of togetherness.

People in different groups of the poor, those living with HIV/AIDS and the 1994 genocide against Tutsi survivors in Kamembe Mururu, Gihundwe, Giheke and Nkanka sectors in Rusizi district say that they are in the journey of becoming farmers.

They said this after being given 45 cows by Mission of Hope Rwanda (MOHR) Project on the support of Global Fund to get these people out of poverty as these cows will ensure their development.

Bertha Nyirabihizi a resident of Giheke sector and her fellows who were also given cows said that they will protect and take care of these cows and fight poverty when they are able to promote themselves and they will manage because they were trained about it.

For them it is like a dream come true as they are no longer called the poor but farmers and they are hopeful that they will never be affected by poor eating and their families will be free of malnutrition and they will able to pay their contribution for Mutuelle de santé medical insurance. And they will give their neighbours once these cows reproduce.

According to Scovia NARAME the coordinator of Mission of Hope Rwanda, In Rusizi district said that these cows will be of much importance to these people and their neighbours. The district and sector leaders were asked to make a follow up on these cows and how they are taken care of by the groups they were given.

Oscar Niyonsaba the veterinary doctor of Rusizi district asked those who were given cows to take good care of them as they will take them from one level to the other and he said that with the help of veterinary doctors in sectors, they will keep a close watch on these cows and they were warned about using the normal bulls for reproduction as they give no production.

Apart from giving cows to people, Mission of Rwanda Gave to every group 1.8 million francs to take care of these cows by buying medicine and all necessities while taking care of those cows.

Girinka program in Nyabihu district has taken a bigger step as on the 25^th.July.2012 in Mukamira sector where about 30 cows have been given to the poor and the 1994 genocide against Tutsi survivors; reports Eugene Shingiro the veterinarian in the area.

Among the 30 cows that were given out, 12 are from the poor who were given before who decided to give to their neighbors, 15 of them are from Girinka association and 3 were bought from the money that was given for the support of the 1994 genocide survivors who are poor during the memorial period.

Angela Mukaminani the vice Mayor for finance and economic development in Nyabihu District who attended this function asked those who were given cows to protect them and take good care of them and to give to their neighbors when they reproduce and keep up the process of Girinka Munyarwanda and to use them well and promote their social welfare, fight against poverty and attain development.

Those who were given cows including Ruziga and Munyakabango said that they will do everything possible to protect their cows and to give their neighbors in the future and to use them to get out of poverty and to improve their social lives by eating well by getting manure to boost their farming.

In the last economic year 2012/2013, Nyabihu district gave out 721 cows in Girinka program and they had vowed to give out 500 cows and in this economic year 2012/2013 which started in June.2012, 66 cows have already been given out.

Social affairs officials in sectors of Southern Province have vowed to reduce the number of children raised in orphanages following the recent discovery that some have parents.

Some children are found abandoned by parents who are poor so that able people can raise them, who stay near watching them grow silently.

Other children in orphanages are street children, who run away from their homes because of lack of food or family wrangles.

Social affairs have decided to sensitize parents to care for all children as their own, to get married before the law and to communicate because insufficient communication results into conflicts that force children from home.

Family planning issues will be addressed to the parents so that poverty does not make parents fail to care for the children they bore, Officials assert.

Southern province sector leaders will encourage parents to start small income generating projects as a way of fighting poverty.

In order to solve children problems early, sector officials have promised to introduce children programs where they meet and talk about their problems.

This program will help the leaders to know what to ask of parents so that children enjoy being home with parents than running away to suffer on streets.

The government of Rwanda has on Thursday 14^th June 2012 presented the 2012/2013 fiscal year budget to the Parliament.

The budget emphasizes scaling up of infrastructure projects to enhance growth and poverty reduction strategies.

While presenting the national budget John Rwangombwa, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, mentioned that this year’s budget would see infrastructure receive 23percent of the entire budget compared to the share of 21percent in the previous fiscal year 2011/12.

Reiterating the importance of infrastructure to the development of the country the Minister said, “Infrastructure is the backbone of the economy. To encourage the investment that will create more employment for our people, therefore we need to remove the physical infrastructure bottlenecks that exist.

We need to have our entire population connected to steady supply of electricity, good roads and access to clean water and high speed internet among others. This will accelerate the progress that has seen one million Rwandans pull themselves out of poverty in the last five years.”

This development will see the construction and rehabilitation of over 460 kilometers of roads, adding 30MW to the national grid, and scaling up investment projects in local governments to Rwf 79 billion compared with Rwf 25 billion in the previous year.

The budget speech reflects a significant decrease in the Government of Rwanda’s dependence on donor aid from development partners. The 2012/13 budget’s share funded by aid is 46percent compared with 85percent in 2000. The Government remains determined to progressively reduce its level of dependency.

Noting this the Minister said, “While we appreciate all the indispensable help we received from each of our development partners over the last 18 years, we have always focused on using each development project to address current concerns and create a concrete change so that future generations would not be dependent on aid.”

Rwanda as a developing country has lately not been affected by big numbers of suicide according to available police statistics. However, from time to time, cases of suicide have been reported around the country which police thinks can be averted if timely advise is sought and provided.

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. It is often committed because of many factors such as despair which may be caused by depression, alcoholism and drug abuse.

It could also be caused by poverty or financial difficulties, poor interpersonal relationships, loneliness, unemployment and poor mental health.

Global statistics show that, over one million people die by suicide every. It is the 13th leading cause of death.

While there might be different causes of suicide in developed and developing countries, the statistics apply to both.

Consequences brought about by suicide are far reaching. It affects families of the deceased in who remain in poverty, causes prostitution, school dropouts, drug abuse and delinquency.

Despite the few cases in Rwanda, they occur sporadically. For instance last week on Thursday in Huye district, Mbazi sector, Mwurire cell, Ananias Makuza, 61, committed suicide by drinking rat poison.

He died at a health center where he was being treated .The cause was reported as the shame caused by his mother in law who found him committing adultery in the trench on the road side.

In Musanze district, Gataraga sector, Rungu cell, Callixte Habamenshi, 49, also committed suicide by drinking poison. He died upon his arrival at Ruhengeri hospital. Investigationsto this cause are still on.

According to police, local leaders have a mandate to identify and follow up on people with problems that may lead to suicide and advise them in time before they take their lives.

It also calls on troubled people to seek advice by approaching authorities or reporting to the nearest Police station instead of using their own ways of solving problems by causing more complexities.

The members of cooperatives under support of CODRBC (cooperative pour development rural et le bien etre Communautaire) – Abizeranye in Gatsibo district say they are happy for the support from this project that helped them get out of poverty as now they can create their own jobs.

On the 30^th.May.2012 when Global Fund visited CODRBC-Abizeranye project that supports different cooperatives in Gatsibo district, members of cooperatives that are supported by CODRBC informed Global Fund that the progress they have given them hope to have good life and to fight poverty with the help of the work they do of crocheting students’ sweaters and poultry farming.

Sylvestre Ngwabije the president of CODRBC-Abizeranye project said that their objective is to help the needy to get out of poverty through hard work where people who work think of how to get out of poverty.

Maculate Uwankusi one of the people who were supported who is also the chairperson of Girisuku cooperative-Kabarole who learn to crotchet students’ sweaters from this project said that they started making hats and now they make sweaters where a person can make at least 3 sweaters a day.

She says that their cooperative has improved their life styles and now many schools no longer make long journeys to buy students’ sweaters of which they do after cleaning Kabarore town and they learn crocheting in the house they rent for themselves.

As a way of uplifting residents from poverty, Rwanda Agriculture board have given out  24 cows to residents from 11 sectors out of 12 sectors that make Nyabihu district.

According to Eugene Shingiro, in charge of livestock in the district; Jenda sector got 1 cow, Bigogwe sector got 4 cows, Mukamira 1 cow, Kintobo sector 3, and the remaining seven sectors got two cows each.

Speciose Nkundizanye, a beneficiary resident of Basumba cell, Bigogwe sector is grateful and says that the cow will help him fight poverty and improve the standard of her family.

Beneficiaries assured that they will take good care of the cows so that they give cows to their vulnerable neighbors, and work together towards development.

From June 2011 to May 2012, 576 cows have been given out in Girinka program. Although pledged performance contracts have been implemented, with helping the vulnerable residents exceeding 100 percent, the act is continuing in Nyabihu district.

One of the cows

In abid to uplift Rwandese out of poverty and to improve on nutrition, FARG on May 17^th 2012 gave 9 cows to the vulnerable genocide survivors from Mukamira and Kintobo sectors

According to Francois Rwamucyo, in charge of social affairs; six cows were given to Mukamira sector while three cows were given to Kintobo.

Beneficiaries were asked to take good care of the cows by keeping them in kraals, feeding them and contacting veterinarians in case they are sick, Rwamucyo says.

Rwamucyo reminded the beneficiaries that they should make cows yield because they have to give cows to their fellow vulnerable genocide survivors.

FARG is a Rwandan government program that supports vulnerable widows and orphans of 1994 Tutsi genocide